Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is not a part of Aboriginal culture as I know it. What I am saying is that some of this inventiveness is of little value when, in fact, I and others would like to see the life of your typical Aboriginal person much improved. I am not convinced that the focus on land rights has been productive in that regard, nor do I believe a centralised bureaucracy is the way to resolve it—and I have produced papers on the subject and tried to do something about that.

I sincerely hope that this otherwise rather inconsequential piece of legislation can be the foundation for some much more sensible things. Might I say, before the Speaker tells me it is time to adjourn the House, some very silly things happen. A CDEP manager has just been sacked because he took the view that if you wanted CDEP you actually worked for it. I have anecdotal evidence to prove that the powers that be sacked this bloke. By being made to do some work, two people got full-time jobs. That sort of thing has to be looked into. I will continue my argument when the debate is resumed.

Debate interrupted.

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